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Opened the final session of the sale of tickets for the 2018 world Cup

Every two years, football has become fashionable. And every four years — very fashionable. So the tickets for the matches of the world Cup want to get not only the loyal fans and crazy football fans. Well, the demand is known, creates supply. There will always be those who will offer you a part of these desirable places for a lot of money. And don’t keep track of the official site, ticket to be able to buy yourself access to the match for virtually any sane, or spit over your left shoulder, participating in the lottery. Just fill in your search request and you get a lot of suggestions. Just prepare your money. But only absolute guarantee that you will see the game your favorite (or any!) team no. FIFA warns that buying tickets in any other place than the official, you risk to remain without money and without experience.

photo: Evgeny Semenov

A complex system of formal ticketing was invented long ago, and for obvious reasons: to avoid leakage of a large number of tickets into the hands of speculators and to give equal opportunities to all with a great demand, including from the point of view of cost. The cheapest ticket of the fourth category (only for Russian citizens) on the 2018 FIFA world Cup is, for example, 1280 roubles — quite affordable price for most people. It therefore introduced a phased sale of tickets, all these jokes, the customers registration on the official website of FIFA.

Of course, tickets available dismantled fairly quickly, but even at the end of the second phase of sales for live electronic queue for the most popular matches they could be purchased. The remains of the tickets went on sale at the last stage, Wednesday, April 18, and buy them will be in the order of arrival until the last day before the start of the final match (assuming that they will, of course).

But they definitely will be on the websites of the dealers that are always popping up at the top of any search engines, and because an inexperienced buyer won’t even know that went to the left resource. All logos, symbols, mascot — the wolf of Zabijaka. Color, graphic design, and web site addresses, too, just shout: we are real! Although the use of all this symbolism — is a violation of copyright. But most importantly — there is promise that all the tickets official, tells how to recognize a fake, and even promise to help with the passport of the fan. However, aid is only in the story, where the Fan-ID can be issued.

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Type in search line “tickets for the world Cup”, go to the first website and get on the “exclusive distributor Agency” as the creators of this portal call themselves. Then a PostScript: “the cost on the website may differ from nominal”. And differ very much!

Click “buy ticket”. First, we silly, I suggest matches of Russian national team. For example, the opening match Russia — Saudi Arabia in “Luzhniki” on June 14. Before the user prostolic to prices, he will see the inscription in large letters: formal agreement, secure purchase, only official tickets. Calm down, they say, it don’t get.

Go down below and see a huge clock and under them the words: “Just sold 4 tickets for this match”. We clearly implying: don’t be stingy, hurry up! Yes, we’re already terrified beyond measure, the chances of the ticket purchase flow away through sweating with excitement fingers. And probably many people after such a powerful psychological entry of the price of the ticket seem not so huge. The main thing (phew, sigh of relief), they are still available!

And the prices, meanwhile, are. Ticket 4th category (which is only for citizens of the Russian Federation) to the opening match is “only” 30 thousand virtually any. When the official cost 3200. It’s even less than 10 times. You will think, nonsense what! Next to the plate, we are told that there were only 16. Tell you a secret: these sites I always came during the last month, and there has ALWAYS been 16.

The third category of tickets is worth 50 thousand (at the official price 13 200), the second — 70 thousand (23 400), the first 95 thousand (33 000).

We were immediately informed that the opening ceremony will begin two hours before kick-off at 16.00. And will last about 20 minutes, and the story tells about the history, traditions, culture and nature of Russia. This sort of exclusive details open, apparently. Here I would like to remind the reader that said the General Director of the organizing Committee “Russia-2018” Alexey Sorokin about the opening ceremony: “It will be significantly different from those who were at previous tournaments. Decided that it will be closer to the referee”s whistle to start the match, as previously held prior to the workout teams. Now it will be much more compact and easier for the audience don’t come much in advance.”

Okay, with Saudi Arabia, our gallant team under the direction of Stanislav cherchesova, I hope, will understand, and then we want to St. Petersburg for the match Russia — Egypt. And it is necessary, “only that this game has sold 4 tickets”. The same 16 category four tickets available. However, the price is already below 25 thousand at virtually any official 1280. Other categories also cheaper, however, as in the case of the official value.

The third meeting in the group stage, Uruguay — Russia, Samara more accessible: 20 thousand for the fourth category. And there are only 16 tickets. And then just sold 4 tickets. Well, just a magic number!

As for the penetrations in other games (not involving the national team of Russia), was the most expensive match Argentina — Iceland (the cheapest ticket is 55 thousand virtually any for the 4th category, with official 1280 virtually any). However, at the stadium “Spartak” in this meeting there will arrive the half of Iceland, and the Russian fans of football seriously and permanently fell in love with the team, living at the foot Eyjafjallajokull, so the demand was huge.

To attend the world finals you will be offered for the price from 150 to 350 thousand virtually any (the official price: from 7040 to 66 thousand).

photo: Evgeny Semenov

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Prices of course bite, but if you get to the world Cup — the dream of your life and you’re the last eight years was engaged in that have saved money for the tickets, but official buying still asleep (although all surveyed wish at least one ticket on the FIFA website, Yes bought), someone might try to take the risk. Get used to the image of a man and enter into dialogue with the “consultant Alex”.

— Hello! And sure the tickets are real?

— Yes, they will be on matte paper, the ticket will be a hologram with the logo of the world Cup, and each ticket will have a unique number — barcode.

— Yes, just on the FIFA website says that these only them. And they have no…

— Some tickets were purchased by us from FIFA in the early quota. Therefore, we have the tickets there.

Oh, cool! And my name is you are on the ticket will bring?

— On the ticket will indicate the name of the administrator. But it is important for you, what name will be on the passport of the fan. It will start up on stadium.

Yeah, I know, but so far no ticket, passport how to apply? There’s also the ticket number require.

— Tickets will be issued by the organizer in circulation at the beginning of may. And we will begin to deliver all paid tickets by courier service at our expense.

And only then will I be able to obtain a passport?

— Yes, without a ticket will not work issue.

Scary to buy a ticket now and get in early may.

— You will be able to use the payment documents. The link that you will pay, this is also a guarantee because banks just do not produce the service. They first check a few months the organization before providing this link. We worked last year in the confederations Cup, all customers received their tickets, and had the best location in the selected category.

Nothing about “early quota” by which these offices could redeem tickets, FIFA said. On the contrary, strongly emphasizes that the tickets only from them, only!

As for the passport of a fan, when its design is not necessary to have the ticket number, you can provide the number of approved applications for the purchase of the ticket. Waiting until may makes it virtually impossible for potential fans the opportunity to obtain, for example, free travel on the train. The longer you wait, the less seats. And they almost does not remain. However, the person is able to risk thirty thousand, is unlikely to survive the free travel…

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After the confederations Cup, it was estimated: 60% of tickets for individual games have been sold through informal channels. FIFA, however, this figure did not agree, but recognize the problem. In Russia, even signed a special Federal law on administrative responsibility for illegal sale of tickets for matches of the FIFA world Cup 2018: individuals face fines ranging from 20-fold to 25-fold the official ticket price (however, the amount of the fine may not be less than 50 thousand roubles), for officials — fines from 25-fold to 30-fold the cost of the ticket and not less than 100 thousand individual entrepreneurs — from 25 to 30 of the cost of the ticket and not less than 150 thousand or suspension of activity for up to 90 days legal entities face fines from 500 thousand to a million or suspension of activity for up to 90 days. But, as you can see, it frightens nobody and does not stop.

Unfortunately, the request “MK” to comment on the illegal sale of tickets of FIFA have not responded. But official reports from the international football Federation warns:

“The only official website selling tickets for the FIFA world Cup 2018 is FIFA.com/bilet. If it turns out that the tickets purchased elsewhere, they will be automatically cancelled and their holders will be denied entrance to the stadium and receive compensation. You may not sell, offer tickets, offer tickets at auctions, resell, donate, act as commercial agent of the ticket of another party or otherwise transfer the ticket without the prior written consent of FIFA”.

How input will find out officially or unofficially purchased the tickets, not clear. Secrets like FIFA did not disclose. In addition, each buyer has the right to purchase tickets to your friends, relatives, colleagues. On this account the FIFA regulations reads:

“You may not transfer your tickets but you may transfer the tickets to your invited guests to other invited guests”.

For this we need to send a transfer request via your account. There’s also stated: “the transfer of tickets is available and can be implemented before the end of the day (24.00 CET) three days before the start of the relevant match”. Whether to engage in such “official” dealers? Unlikely. But whether at the entrance to the stadium each subject who is who and when passed this ticket?

In addition, FIFA also warned that such ticket transfer is only possible for “good reason”:

“…if the purchaser wishes to transfer the ticket to a family member; in the case of absence of permission to enter Russia/disease/death of the guest; in the event of force majeure; change in personal circumstances”.

There is written, that the FIFA has the right to demand documentary evidence of this “good cause” and reserves the right to refuse transmission, if the evidence was not provided.